Robbinsville official mentioned in Bencivengo case returns to work

In the latest twist of the winds following the conviction of Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo on federal corruption charges, the Robbinsville Business Administrator will keep her job.

Joy Tozzi, named as an intermediary for straw donations and a recipient of a bribe for her vote on the Hamilton School Board during Bencivengo’s trial, returns to work today.

An e-mail from the township called the allegations against her “unsubstantiated” and said “her body of work ... has been beyond reproach.”

“She has always performed admirably and, frankly, I’m a tough guy to work for,” said Robbinsville Mayor Dave Fried.

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Tozzi was hired as a constituent relations specialist in February 2008, and promoted to the Assistant Business Administrator/Human Resources Director in August 2009. She said she served as interim Business Administrator from January to March 2012 before being appointed to the position permanently then.

“I deny the allegations that were made directly or indirectly that would damage my reputation credibility or integrity,” she said. “I’m excited to be returning to work.”

Marliese Ljuba, the government’s key witness against Bencivengo, testified she gave Tozzi, Rob Warney and Anthony Coluccio bribes amounting to $10,000 each while they were on the board in 2006 when her contract was up for a vote.

Ljuba testified that she used Joy Tozzi and others for “straw” cash donations to political campaigns in Hamilton and elsewhere from 2005 to 2011. Ljuba received immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony, and the prosecution’s case involved tapes Ljuba made of Bencivengo from June 2011.

Bencivengo was convicted of taking $12,400 in bribes from Ljuba in exchange for his influence with the Hamilton Board of Education, so that she could keep her lucrative health insurance brokerage for her employer, Allen Associates.

Fried said Tozzi had recused herself from all votes involving Ljuba’s contract while she was on the board, the allegations had been refuted by others involved and none of the allegations involved her work in Robbinsville.

During the township’s investigation, Fried said Tozzi took accrued personal time and was not placed on leave or suspended.